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Governor's education summit held amid criticism of reform group

WMUK

Governor Rick Snyder is calling for the business and education communities to work together to prepare students to enter the job market. He opened his education summit Monday in East Lansing saying the education system is broken. 

Gongwer News Service (subscription required) reporter Christopher Klaver told WMUK's Gordon Evans that Snyder did not offer many specific proposals. But he called for the business community explain better what their needs are. The governor also wants educators to better prepare students for going into the workforce. (Mlive story)

The state has cut funding for public education in recent years. Klaver says the leaders of many districts have complained that cuts have forced them to scale back career and technical training programs. Those programs are what Governor Snyder and State Superintendent Mike Flanagan say are needed to help the state prepare students for technical jobs. 

The education summit was held as the governor downplayed the work of an education reform group (Detroit News story). Democrats have claimed that the group, which includes members of the Snyder administration is working on a voucher plan for Michigan schools. (Detroit Free Press story)

Klaver says the biggest mistake invovling the grop was probably political. He says the secretive nature of the meetings and the use of the name "skunk works" made it an easy target for political attack. Klaver says the program doesn't appear to be a voucher plan, but he says it could steer some money to charter schools run by for-profit companies. 

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.